Second street

[allan mills]

Hello everyone 

My name is Allan and I currently live in Normandy,France. I am going to visit Netherton in March next year as my Father was born at 15, Second Street in 1920. Sadly Dad is no longer with us, he passed away in 2017 aged 96. 
I don’t know much about my dads childhood so thought I would come and have a look around. I understand that the collery houses are long since gone though. 
If anyone can suggest places to visit,it would be much appreciated.Thanks 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

6 hours ago, allan mills said:

Hello everyone 

My name is Allan and I currently live in Normandy,France. I am going to visit Netherton in March next year as my Father was born at 15, Second Street in 1920. Sadly Dad is no longer with us, he passed away in 2017 aged 96. 
I don’t know much about my dads childhood so thought I would come and have a look around. I understand that the collery houses are long since gone though. 
If anyone can suggest places to visit,it would be much appreciated.Thanks 

Welcome to the group @allan mills. 

Have you checked the Gallery section? There are a couple of photo albums on Netherton Colliery in the 'Historic Bedlington' section of the gallery.

This is a direct link to the album created by @Carole (last visited the group in 2018) :-

 

And this is a direct link to an album I created but they are all photos supplied by others (I never lived at Netherton Colliery) :-

 

I will try and answer any questions you have and I am sure @Canny lass will give you some info.

[Canny lass]

Hi Allan, welcome to the forum! You are  right in saying that the colliery houses are now gone but there are a couple of remnants of the place left. Howard House, the former pit manager's house, and the adjoining former Office Row, still exists but is now a school. Just a few hundred yards away is Blue House farm which was also there in the 1920s. Moving on towards Morpeth, you come to Nedderton Village where the old junior school exists, though no longer in use as such. However, I'm not sure if it was in use for the colliery children as early as the 1930s when your dad would be a 'junior'.

Second Street, Netherton Colliery consisted of 2 rows of houses: 1st Second Street and 2nd Second street, as far as 1911 at least. "nd Second street later became Plessey Street. I'd have to wade through my research for an exact date. Hower there was a Mills family living at number 13 2nd Second Street. Head of the household was Ralph Mills, born Sunderland then aged 29 and married to Rachel, also 29 . They had three children: maria, William and Thomas aged 2 months to 2 years. Only the baby was born in Netherton Colliery indicating that they recently moved to Netherton. Also living in the house was Ralph's brother William, aged 20, also born in Sunderland, Albert Gibbon, a lodger aged 21 and Barbara Scott, a 19 year old servant with roots in Netherton. Quite a crowd for 3 small rooms!

Do any of those names ring any bells?

Edited October 25, 2022 by Canny lass

[Tonyp]

Hi Allan

welcome to the forum I remember a year or 2 ago there was a video showing images of the village think from 60s or early 70s I’m sure canny lass or Alan Edgar can point you in the right direction it showed people getting of a bus which ran from grange park bedlington station to netherton colliery every hour if I can remember right the firm was called Raisbecks I believe 

[Andy Millne]

1 hour ago, Tonyp said:

there was a video showing images of the village think from 60s or early 70s

 

[Canny lass]

22 hours ago, Canny lass said:

a couple of remnants of the place left. Howard House, the former pit manager's house, and the adjoining former Office Row, still exists

Correction! That should read: Howard House, the former pit manager's house, and the adjoining offices - not Office Row as i have mistakenly written. Sorry about that!

[Canny lass]

Allan, if you view the video above you will see Plessey Street, formerly called 2nd Second Street. It looks a bit the worse for wear in the video but in 1920, when your father was born there it would be almost "state of the art" as those rows were built between 1907 and 1915 and brought such "mod-cons" as outdoor, flushing toilets, electric lighting and a fresh water tap, in the street - one tap for every 8 houses! You'll find many more details on the photos in the gallery recommended above by Alan Edgar. If you've any questions feel free to ask.

[allan mills]

Hi again, 

i don’t recognise any of the names in your previous post even though my dad lived at no15 which I should think was next door. Two families living next door to each other with the same name would sort of suggest that they may have been related. As I said before my dad was really secretive about his upbringing and his family. It’s almost as if he wanted to forget about where he came from. He went down south when he joined the RAF in the Second World War. His brother ,my uncle Basil also went south, he joined the navy and was in the Special Boat Service. Uncle Baz and their sister Hazel never really lost their accents but my dad lost most of his. Thanks for all your information,it’s really appreciated 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@allan mills - I would expect on your visit to Netherton/Bedlington in March next year you will be having a look at the area via Google Maps.

Just to show you where Second Street was in Netherton Colliery and how close Netherton Colliery was to the village of Netherton and the town of Bedlington in 1920 I have put together a 1921 map extract with a 2022 Google aerial view of the area.

The village of Netherton changed it's name to Nedderton as there is another Northumberland village called Netherton and in the early half of the 20th century the Post Office requested the change.

This is the extract from the 1921 ordnance survey map showing the 4 rows of house, First, Second, Plessey & Third Street just above the name Netherton Colliery and Netherton village :- 

This is the Google Maps 2022 view of the area :-

And this is the 2022 view with the 1921 map added and a few places marked with a start = 'then & now' :-

Have you had a look at the albums in the Gallery under Historic Bedlington ?

[Canny lass]

19 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

This is the extract from the 1921 ordnance survey map showing the 4 rows of house, First, Second, Plessey & Third Street just above the name Netherton Colliery

A little correction needed there, Eggy. Plessey Street is not shown. The 1921 map only shows First-, Second- and Third street. Second Street being the two centre rows of the four with Third Street to the left and First Sreet to the right of them.

[Canny lass]

Such a pity that you don't recognise any names, Allan! However, this family information is from 1911, some 9 years before your father's birth, so they could well be relatives. The 1921 census should be released soon and we can get a better picture of where your father lived. However, there are other sources available for research and if you'd like to give me your father's full name and date of birth I'd be happy to have a look for you. Of course, you don't need to post that information publicly. you can send me a direct message if it feels better.

Edited October 27, 2022 by Canny lass

[allan mills]

Hello Canny lass, thanks again for your reply.

Dads name was Ian Sidney Mills born 31 October 1920

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

3 hours ago, Canny lass said:

A little correction needed there, Eggy. Plessey Street is not shown. The 1921 map only shows First-, Second- and Third street. Second Street being the two centre rows of the four with Third Street to the left and First Street to the right of them.

Thanks Cl - I could see there were only three names next to the 4 rows but just assumed one hadn't been named. Now I now there were two rows of Second Street - but will I remember that the next time the Netherton Colliery streets are discussed

[Canny lass]

14 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

but will I remember that the next time the Netherton Colliery streets are discussed

two memories are better than one - so one of us will.

[Canny lass]

17 hours ago, allan mills said:

Hello Canny lass, thanks again for your reply.

Dads name was Ian Sidney Mills born 31 October 1920

Thanks, I'll see what I can do.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 25/10/2022 at 09:45, allan mills said:

If anyone can suggest places to visit,it would be much appreciated.Thanks 

I have searched over the las two days for a leaflet/pamphlet that was produced a few years back that gave info on the local places of interest. You used to be able to pick up a copy from the Community Centre but I can't get into the web site that they used to use - just their Facebook page but can't find anything about the leaflet/pamphlet on that site.

It wasn't a document you would want to print off on a small home printer/scanner, unless you have a couple of cartridges to waste but it was handy as an online (pdf) document to get info on places in the town (blue plaque buildings included) to visit.

I know @johndawsonjune1955 and possibly @Malcolm Robinson, @John Fox (foxy) and @Andy Millne were involved in it's production. Has anyone got the document to upload for @allan mills to see?

[Canny lass]

On 25/10/2022 at 10:45, allan mills said:

If anyone can suggest places to visit,it would be much appreciated.

Nedderton village must be first on your list! I'll be in touch to explain why soon.

[Andy Millne]

On 28/10/2022 at 14:41, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

Has anyone got the document to upload for @allan mills to see?

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

1 hour ago, Andy Millne said:

 

Cheers Andy - that must be the only three words I didn't search for 

@allan mills - if you click on these two links you will get the pdf documents downloaded :-

Bedlington CA Leaflet p.1.pdf

Bedlington CA Leaflet p.2.pdf

 

[Canny lass]

I knew i'd seen it somewhere! Now, if I could only find where i saved it on my PC!

[Sheila Prouten]

On 25/10/2022 at 10:45, allan mills said:

Hello everyone 

My name is Allan and I currently live in Normandy,France. I am going to visit Netherton in March next year as my Father was born at 15, Second Street in 1920. Sadly Dad is no longer with us, he passed away in 2017 aged 96. 
I don’t know much about my dads childhood so thought I would come and have a look around. I understand that the collery houses are long since gone though. 
If anyone can suggest places to visit,it would be much appreciated.Thanks 

Hi Allan.
I also live in France, but in Brittany. I am going to visit Netherton in June this year, so was very interested in your post and the info' you've been given.
My Father I assume lived in Netherton, as he was baptised in the mission church there, in 1919.